Developer momentum behind iPhone looks set to continue this year, with news that support is on the rise further backing up claims that the format is set for a Wii-beating 2010. This optimism is fueled by the results of a survey carried out by Gamasutra’s sister service Game Developer Research. The site recently questioned more than 800 videogame professionals in an effort to predict just which platforms are on the up and which are due for a slump.

The report’s big scoop is the continued growth in mobile development, with support from studios shooting up to 25 percent of all those surveyed, almost double last year’s figure.

Game Developer Research claims iPhone has been the catalyst behind this surge. Three-quarters of the mobile developers questioned targeted both iPhone and iPod touch in 2010, a number the report claims is ‘more than twice the reported support for traditional handhelds like Nintendo DS and Sony PSP,.’

“Like any other medium of entertainment, video game development is subject to change with the ebb and flow of the economy and any hot new trends, and this year’s survey continues to reflect this evolution,” said Simon Carless, Global Brand Director of Think Services Game Group.

“The full, detailed survey document, with its plethora of raw data and wealth of insight, is an important resource for any industry-watchers looking to navigate the changing seas of the games industry.”

It certainly reflects an industry in the midst of change, the report also finding that while the sheer number of developers is on the rise, the era of big, big studios may be coming to an end. With the average size of development houses on the decline, it would seem the weight is now behind small outfits looking to work on mobile formats, and the iPhone is certainly leading the charge on that score.

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